FIRST Recorded Burial in Asbury Cemetery - Edom, TX
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member QuarrellaDeVil
N 32° 21.346 W 095° 40.858
15S E 247710 N 3583030
A 1998 Texas Historical Marker at Asbury Cemetery notes that the earliest recorded burial here is that of Asbury Lowery, from 1855. The cemetery is named for him, and his modern headstone also notes his burial as being the first here.
Waymark Code: WMZYMA
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/24/2019
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member Mark1962
Views: 1

Mr. Lowery's final resting place is today marked by a more modern white marble headstone, which reads:

Asbury Lowery
July 31, 1836 -- Sept. 24, 1855

Erected by relatives and friends
In memory of him being first buried here
Cemetery named in honor of him

---

For awhile, Mr. Lowery had some famous company, as Cynthia Ann Parker's young daughter, Prairie Flower, was initially buried just a few rows away; ultimately, she and her mother were brought to Fort Sill, OK to join their famous kinsman, Quanah Parker. The historical marker provides some background:

The first recorded burial on this site was that of Asbury Lowery (1836-1855). The new burial ground was named in his memory. In 1863, Prairie Flower (1858-1863), the young daughter of celebrated Comanche Indian captive Cynthia Ann Parker and Comanche Chief Peta Nocona, was interred here when she died while living with relatives of her mother. In 1965 her remains were removed to the post cemetery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to be re-interred near the graves of her mother and brother, Chief Quanah Parker, during ceremonies attended by both Comanche and Anglo descendants.

A Texas Ranger named Adren Anglin (1796-1865) also was buried here in the early years of the graveyard. H. W. and H. L. Walker donated two acres including the existing Asbury Chapel and Cemetery to trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, in 1879.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, family members and descendants of the deceased observed a cemetery memorial day by coming together to clean the grounds and share food and fellowship. Eventually, Asbury Chapel merged with the Edom Methodist Church. The first cemetery board of directors was organized in 1945 while John W. Miller (1884-1975) was caretaker.

Maintained by an association, the cemetery contains almost 400 recorded and marked burials and approximately 30 unmarked graves. Among the unmarked graves is believed to be that of pioneer Van Zandt County settler Esable Lindsey and six of her children. The Asbury Cemetery continues to be a chronicle of the pioneers of Van Zandt County.
FIRST - Classification Variable: Person or Group

Date of FIRST: 09/24/1855

More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:

As a suggestion for your visit log, please make every effort to supply a brief-to-detailed note about your experience at the Waymark. If possible also include an image that was taken when you visited the Waymark. Images can be of yourself, a personal Waymarking signature item or just one of general interest that would be of value to others. Sharing your experience helps promote Waymarking and provides a dynamic history of your adventures.

Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest First of its Kind
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
There are no logs for this waymark yet.